Signal for attachment to signal halyard



Oct. 7, 1969 Y A- o. MIGNANO 3,470,845

SIGNAL FOR ATTACHMENT TO SIGNAL HALYARD Filed June 20, 1968 INVENTOR.

Arron/vans United States Patent 3,470,845 SIGNAL FOR ATTACHMENT TO SIGNAL HALYARD Anthony 0. Mignano, 890 W. 6th St., San Pedro, Calif. 90731 Filed June 20, 1968, Ser. No. 738,686 Int. Cl. G01d 21/00; B63b 51/02; A63h 3/06 US. Cl. 116114 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A signal for attachment to a signal halyard aboard ship, and including a casing which is collapsible for easy stowage but which is inflatable to define the signal.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The present invention relates to maritime signal hoists and particularly to signals required of smaller vessels.

Description of the prior art World maritime rules prescribe the display or hoisting of certain signals to designate the existence of particular conditions, such as vessel at anchor, not under command, disabled, or aground. Various signal forms are common, including a sphere and a double-cone configuration, for example, and different colors are used as well.

The display of such signals is no particular problem for larger vessels, but the smaller vessels have no adequate stowage area for signals of a large enough size that they would be visible for any distance. The signals are of substantially rigid construction and are made of relatively expensive materials such as specially treated and sewn marine canvas. Consequently, and despite the fact that United States Coast Guard regulations prescribe their use, most small boat owners do not use signals.

SUMMARY According to the present invention, a signal is provided which is adapted for shipboard attachment to a signal halyard, the signal being deflatable for easy stowage.

The inflatable casing of the signal is made of relatively inexpensive plastic film material and includes integral reinforced anchorages to afford reliable attachments for the signal halyard.

The casing includes integral air valve means for mouth inflation so that if a small boat operator loses control of his vessel, for example, he can quickly inflate and hoist a signal to apprise others of his situation.

The ease of stowage and use is such that the small boat owner is encouraged to purchase and have on hand those signals required not only by the law, but by common sense.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent from consideration of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a signal according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged detail view of one of the anchorages attached to the signal casing;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of a second embodiment of the present signal, and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a signal differently configured compared to the signal of FIG. 1, but otherwise identical.

3,470,845 Patented Oct. 7, 1969 "ice DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to the drawings, and particularly to FIGS. 1 through 3, there is illustrated a device or signal 10 for attachment to a signal halyard 12. The signal 10 comprises a hollow, nonporous, and spherical ball or casing 14 which is preferably made of an inflatable and collapsible plastic vinyl film material. Vinyl material has good weather resistance and is a tough, durable material for maritime applications. However, other materials of a similar character may also be employed if desired.

During a signaling use the casing 14 is characterized by the inflated state illustrated in FIG. 1. As will be seen, the casing 14 can also be deflated into collapsed state by forcing substantially all of the air out of the hollow interior of the casing 14. This facilitates compact stowage of the signal 10 in the small spaces available in a small boat. Of course, the signal 10 is also useful aboard larger vessels as well.

In FIG. 1 the attachment of the signal 10 to the halyard 12 is such that the signal 10 is between ends of the halyard and therefore also bears the strain of hoisting the halyard, and the strain of withstanding high winds.

The signal 10 is reinforced to take this strain by utilizing halyard attachment means comprising a pair of diametrically oppositely located anchorages 16. Each anchorage 16 includes a circular reinforcement patch 18 whose edge margins are integrally adhered or heat sealed to the exterior of the casing 14. Each anchorage is made of a tough, durable material such as relatively thick vinyl film and its central portion is spaced from the casing 14 to form a recess or pocket.

A pair of openings or eyelets 20 are formed in each patch 18, and a pair of vinyl grommets 22 are adhered or heat sealed to the underside of the patch 18 about the margins'of the eyelets 20. The grommets 22 provide reinforcement for bearing the strain of a nylon rope or cord which is trained through the eyelets 20. The cord is formed into a continuous loop 24 by heat fusing its ends, the loops 24 on the opposite sides of the spherical casing 14 thereby affording a means for rapidly, easily, and securely attaching the signal 10 to the halyard 12.

An alternative halyard attachment arrangement is illustrated in FIG. 4. In this embodiment the casing 26 is also made spherical, but is provided with an integral, diametrically disposed conduit or tube 28 which extends completely through the casing 26 to slidably accommodate or receive the signal halyard 12. After the casing 26 is slipped onto the halyard 12, it is attached to the halyard adjacent one end of the tube 28 by means of an anchorage 16. The anchorage 16 is attached to the casing 26 in the same manner as was previously described in connection with the anchorages 16 of the signal 10.

The anchorage 16 is attached to the halyard 12 by a short length of line 30 which is preferably permanently secured to the halyard 12, as by crimping within a metal sleeve (not shown).

With this arrangement, the strain of hoisting the easing 26 is primarily borne by the halyard 12. The presence of the internal tube 28 also serves to strengthen the casing 26 against high side loads, such as might be encountered during high winds.

The signal 32 illustrated in FIG. 5 is identical in every way to the signal of FIG. 4, except that the configuration of the signal 32 is a double cone, the base peripheries of the cones forming continuations of one another. The configuration of FIG. 5 is included simply to show that the present signal may take any of various shapes, as required by the particular application.

Each of the various embodiments of the present invention also includes a means such as an air valve 34 for inflating and deflating the casing. Various types of air valve are suitable for such use, and the particular form of air valve therefore does not form a part of the present invention.

As best seen in FIG. 1, one suitable form of air valve 34 is mounted integral with the casing walls and includes a stem which can be pressed into a recess in the casing wall after inflation of the casing. This places the stem out of the way and reduces air leakage. The valve stem can be pulled out of its recess to enable oral inflation of the casing. Preferably the same valve is used for both inflation and deflation.

Thus, a signal has been provided which is adapted for attachment to the signal halyard of a ship, and which is large enough for practical use and yet deflatable to compact size for easy stowage. The signal is made of relatively inexpensive materials and is quickly inflatable for use.

Various modifications and changes may be made with regard to the foregoing detailed description without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claim.

I claim:

1. A signal for attachment to a signal halyard or the like aboard ship, said signal comprising:

a hollow nonporous casing having an inflated state in which the interior of said casing is filled with air to distend the walls of said casing and thereby define said signal, said casing having a collapsed state in which substantially all of the air in said interior is removed to collapse said walls;

halyard attachment means integrally secured to said casing and adapted for attachment to a signal halyard, said halyard attachment means including a pair of anchorages located on said casing oppositely of each other, each said anchorage comprising a reinforcement patch adhered to said casing and including [a pair of eyelets and a pair of grommets adhered to the margins of said eyelets for reinforcement thereof; and

air valve means integral with said casing and operable to enable inflation of said casing to said inflated state and deflation of said casing to said collapsed state. References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 42,794 5/1864 Rogers 1l6--l32 901,677 10/1908 Boyd 116-132 1,057,223 3/1913 Danenhower 116-132 1,527,116 2/ 1925 Burgert 4690 2,936,366 5/1960 Rainford 240l 0 3,397,887 8/1968 Caplan 27358 LOUIS I. CAPOZI, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 9-9; 46-90 

